Thread: Maricopa Co. doing it the right way - Thanks Andrew Thomas

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 06-ON.html

Smuggling suspect, 3 immigrants charged

Brent Whiting
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 6, 2006 01:50 PM


Prosecutors have filed charges against a suspected smuggler of humans and against three undocumented immigrants, all arrested March 31 near Gila Bend.

The four, all Mexican nationals, were charged under an Arizona anti-smuggling law enacted by the Legislature that took effect Aug. 12.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio have said they will enforce the law despite the controversy surrounding it and the nationwide uproar over immigrant reforms.
Thomas said Wednesday that people "who violated our state human-smuggling law and conspire to violate that law will continue to be prosecuted."

State Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, who sponsored the law, said the measure was intended to go after smugglers, not migrants.

The four were nabbed on Arizona 85 north of Gila Bend after sheriff's deputies stopped a vehicle that had an expired California license plate.

The smuggling suspect is being held on $36,000 bail; the three undocumented immigrants on $5,400 bail each.

Their arrests came four weeks after Thomas and Arpaio announced the arrest of 54 undocumented immigrants who were rounded up March 2 in the Harquahala Valley west of Buckeye.

Pima County's (my county) County Atty refuses to follow the new state law and has thrown out any cases that were presented to her office. This has resulted in the word getting out for officers not to file the charges or make the arrests in the first place.

man i want to give that man a medal.. no a portrait... no a freaking STATUE!

Originally Posted by mapwife

Pima County's (my county) County Atty refuses to follow the new state law and has thrown out any cases that were presented to her office. This has resulted in the word getting out for officers not to file the charges or make the arrests in the first place.

you can get a petiton (thousand signitures i believe) and get her removed from the office.